11 amazing ways to experience Africa from the air

Joe Yogerst, for CNN
6 minute read
Updated 10:57 AM EST, Thu November 6, 2014
With fully open side doors, the 13-passenger Huey zigzags above the Zambezi River before rapidly rising up and over Victoria Falls.
Huey helicopter, Victoria Falls (Zambia) —
With fully open side doors, the 13-passenger Huey zigzags above the Zambezi River before rapidly rising up and over Victoria Falls.
courtesy united air charters
African Profile Safaris offers private flights over the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta in southern Africa.
Private flights (Namibia, Botswana) —
African Profile Safaris offers private flights over the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta in southern Africa.
courtesy African Profile Safaris
This is just part of the amazing view of Cape Town and the Cape of Good Hope from the Table Mountain Cableway.
Table Mountain Cableway (South Africa) —
This is just part of the amazing view of Cape Town and the Cape of Good Hope from the Table Mountain Cableway.
Warren Rohner/Table Mtn Aerial Cableway
While it's far from Africa's highest bungee (216-meter/710-foot Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa is the hightest), 44-meter/144-foot Nile High Bungee offers the best view of any jump.
Nile bungee (Uganda) —
While it's far from Africa's highest bungee (216-meter/710-foot Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa is the hightest), 44-meter/144-foot Nile High Bungee offers the best view of any jump.
courtesy Adrift Uganda
Skydive Diani and Kenya Skydivers offer exhilarating free falls over the Indian Ocean coast and East African bush.
Skydiving (Kenya) —
Skydive Diani and Kenya Skydivers offer exhilarating free falls over the Indian Ocean coast and East African bush.
courtesy kenya skydivers
Experienced climbers can make this breathtaking ascent in a single day along the Eastwood Route.
West Face at Mulanje (Malawi) —
Experienced climbers can make this breathtaking ascent in a single day along the Eastwood Route.
courtesy Mountain Club of Malawi
Africa's great dormant, snow-capped volcano is known for its high-altitude flora and equatorial glaciers.
Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) —
Africa's great dormant, snow-capped volcano is known for its high-altitude flora and equatorial glaciers.
courtesy Ultmate Kilimanjaro
Located in Kafue, Zambia's oldest and largest national park, the Busanga Plains are known for vast herds, diverse species and healthy populations of large animals. Wildlife can be seen up close from hot air balloons.
Busanga Plains hot air balloon (Zambia) —
Located in Kafue, Zambia's oldest and largest national park, the Busanga Plains are known for vast herds, diverse species and healthy populations of large animals. Wildlife can be seen up close from hot air balloons.
courtesy Namib Sky
Flying over the bush in a two-seater with an open cockpit is a throwback to the days when legendary pilots such as Denys Finch Hatton and Beryl Markham explored Africa by air.
Microlight flights (South Africa) —
Flying over the bush in a two-seater with an open cockpit is a throwback to the days when legendary pilots such as Denys Finch Hatton and Beryl Markham explored Africa by air.
courtesy Kwa Madwala
Located on Gezira Island in the middle of the Nile, the Cairo Tower was opened in 1961. A 2009 makeover added elevators, restaurants (one of them revolving) and other facilities.
Cairo Tower (Egypt) —
Located on Gezira Island in the middle of the Nile, the Cairo Tower was opened in 1961. A 2009 makeover added elevators, restaurants (one of them revolving) and other facilities.
courtesy Raduasandei
Zipline fliers can control their speed as they hurtle through Tsitsikamma, a jumble of rainforest, rivers and rocky cliffs along South Africa's Garden Route.
Tsitsikamma zipline (South Africa) —
Zipline fliers can control their speed as they hurtle through Tsitsikamma, a jumble of rainforest, rivers and rocky cliffs along South Africa's Garden Route.
courtesy tsitsikamma zipline
Aerial Africa: 11 ways to catch the continent from above

Story highlights

Vintage Huey helicopter rides over Victoria Falls began in 2013

Private flying safaris are offered in Namibia and Botswana

Hot air balloon safaris in Zambia offer rides "close enough to look straight into the face of a lion"

CNN  — 

Africa from the air is a breathtaking sight – vast herds, sprawling wetlands, snow-capped peaks and rising cities.

Thanks to creative safari outfitters, aerial views of the continent are a lot more accessible than they once were.

The 11 options below showcase the best aerial tours of Africa.

1. Huey helicopter flights at Victoria Falls (Zambia)

Based in Livingstone on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls (the falls form a border between Zambia and Zimbabwe), United Air Charters introduced 20-minute flights in a “Huey” helicopter – the widely used military helicopter – in 2013 as a radical way to experience Africa’s largest waterfall.

With fully open side doors, the 13-passenger Huey zigzags through the 125-meter-high (410 foot) rock walls of Batoka Gorge, skimming close to rapids that make this stretch of the Zambezi one of the continent’s best for whitewater rafting.

Upon reaching the violent clash of water and rock called Oblivion, the chopper rapidly rises up and over Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke that Thunders”) at the falls.

United Air Charters Huey tours over the falls with an open door are $175 per person for 15 minutes and $330 per person for 20 minutes

Private flying safaris take visitors over the Kalahari Desert and Okavango Delta.
Private flying safaris take visitors over the Kalahari Desert and Okavango Delta.